A jaw-dropping feat of volcanic architecture has risen in the Italian city of Nola, just a stone's throw away from the cataclysmic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Vesuvius">Mt. Vesuvius</a>. Designed by <a href="http://rpbw.r.ui-pro.com/">Renzo Piano</a>, the <a href="http://www.vulcanobuono.it/index.htm">Vulcano Buono</a> ("good volcano" in italian) is an epic cone-shaped commercial center crowned with a sloping green roof. Piano's "good volcano" contributes a vital new space to the southern edge of the Nola commercial district, which is the most most important freight terminal complex in southern and central Italy.

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Vulcano Buono by Renzo Piano

Inspired by the surrounding landscape, <a href="http://www.vulcanobuono.it/index.htm">Vulcano Buono</a> has a gently sloping profile that rises from the earth as a grassy green knoll.

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Vulcano Buono by Renzo Piano

The structure's roof is carpeted with a vegetative layer of over 2,500 plants that helps to insulate the interior spaces and reduces the structure's visual impact so that it's barely visible from space.

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Vulcano Buono in construction

A 150 meter-wide clearing in the volcano's crater lends space for an outdoor theater, a market, and a sloping pine forest.

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Vulcano Buono by Renzo Piano

Rising around this heart is a concentric series of circles that form the center's commercial areas.

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Vulcano Buono by Renzo Piano

The volcano's slopes are held by <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/?attachment_id=61354">structural components meant to evoke trees</a> - each "trunk" sprouts three or four supporting "branches".

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Vulcano Buono by Renzo Piano

The roof of Vulcano Buono is laced with a series of skylights fitted with solar-control <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/03/24/guardian-develops-hyper-insulating-vacuum-glass/">double-pane glass</a> that allows <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/daylighting/">daylight</a> to filter through the mall, reducing energy needs for lighting.

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Vulcano Buono by Renzo Piano

The interior of the complex houses shops, a supermarket, a 2,000 seat cinema, restaurants, and a hotel.

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Vulcano Buono by Renzo Piano

Renzo Piano describes the building as "a contemporary take on a greek marketplace, a void as a place for events, meetings, dialogue and the gathering of people".

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Vulcano Buono by Renzo Piano

Inspired by the surrounding landscape, <a href="http://www.vulcanobuono.it/index.htm">Vulcano Buono</a> has a gently sloping profile that rises from the earth as a grassy green knoll. The structure's roof is carpeted with a vegetative layer of over 2,500 plants that helps to insulate the interior spaces and reduces the structure's visual impact so that it's barely visible from space. Renzo Piano clearly has a penchant for grassy hills - see also the undulating <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/green-roof/">green roof</a> that tops the <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/09/22/california-academy-of-sciences-unveiled/">California Academy of Sciences</a>....<br><br><a href='http://inhabitat.com/colossal-green-volcano-rises-in-italy/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Vulcano Buono by Renzo Piano

Inspired by the surrounding landscape, <a href="http://www.vulcanobuono.it/index.htm">Vulcano Buono</a> has a gently sloping profile that rises from the earth as a grassy green knoll. The structure's roof is carpeted with a vegetative layer of over 2,500 plants that helps to insulate the interior spaces and reduces the structure's visual impact so that it's barely visible from space. Renzo Piano clearly has a penchant for grassy hills - see also the undulating <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/green-roof/">green roof</a> that tops the <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/09/22/california-academy-of-sciences-unveiled/">California Academy of Sciences</a>....<br><br><a href='http://inhabitat.com/colossal-green-volcano-rises-in-italy/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Vulcano Buono by Renzo Piano

Inspired by the surrounding landscape, <a href="http://www.vulcanobuono.it/index.htm">Vulcano Buono</a> has a gently sloping profile that rises from the earth as a grassy green knoll. The structure's roof is carpeted with a vegetative layer of over 2,500 plants that helps to insulate the interior spaces and reduces the structure's visual impact so that it's barely visible from space. Renzo Piano clearly has a penchant for grassy hills - see also the undulating <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/green-roof/">green roof</a> that tops the <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/09/22/california-academy-of-sciences-unveiled/">California Academy of Sciences</a>....<br><br><a href='http://inhabitat.com/colossal-green-volcano-rises-in-italy/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

12

Vulcano Buono by Renzo Piano

Inspired by the surrounding landscape, <a href="http://www.vulcanobuono.it/index.htm">Vulcano Buono</a> has a gently sloping profile that rises from the earth as a grassy green knoll. The structure's roof is carpeted with a vegetative layer of over 2,500 plants that helps to insulate the interior spaces and reduces the structure's visual impact so that it's barely visible from space. Renzo Piano clearly has a penchant for grassy hills - see also the undulating <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/green-roof/">green roof</a> that tops the <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/09/22/california-academy-of-sciences-unveiled/">California Academy of Sciences</a>....<br><br><a href='http://inhabitat.com/colossal-green-volcano-rises-in-italy/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Vulcano Buono plan

Inspired by the surrounding landscape, <a href="http://www.vulcanobuono.it/index.htm">Vulcano Buono</a> has a gently sloping profile that rises from the earth as a grassy green knoll. The structure's roof is carpeted with a vegetative layer of over 2,500 plants that helps to insulate the interior spaces and reduces the structure's visual impact so that it's barely visible from space. Renzo Piano clearly has a penchant for grassy hills - see also the undulating <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/green-roof/">green roof</a> that tops the <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/09/22/california-academy-of-sciences-unveiled/">California Academy of Sciences</a>....<br><br><a href='http://inhabitat.com/colossal-green-volcano-rises-in-italy/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Vulcano Buono by Renzo Piano

A jaw-dropping feat of volcanic architecture has risen in the Italian city of Nola, just a stone's throw away from the cataclysmic Mt. Vesuvius. Designed by Renzo Piano, the Vulcano Buono ("good volcano" in italian) is an epic cone-shaped commercial center crowned with a sloping green roof. Piano's "good volcano" contributes a vital new space to the southern edge of the Nola commercial district, which is the most most important freight terminal complex in southern and central Italy.